Cooling ores.



w. H. HUBBARD, .IR-

' COOLING ORES. 1,173g73. APPLICATION FILED DEC. 30, 1914. Patented Feb- 29 2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

THE COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH .00., WASHINGTON. D. c.

W. H. HUBBARD, JR.

COOLING ORES.

APPLICATION FIILED DEC. 30. 1914.

1,173,273. Patented Feb. 29,1916.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2- ITNESSES.

ATTORNEY THE COLUMBIA PIANOGRAPH co., WASHINGTON. n. c.

ran eras rarnrvr enrich,

WILLIAM HUBBARD, 33., 0F NEWARK, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO THE OHIO &, COLORADO SMELTING & REFINING 00., OF DENVER, COLORADO, 1. CORPORATION OF COLORADO.

COOLING ORES.

Original application filed November 30, 1912, Serial No. 734,315.

Specification of Letters Patent.

30, 1914. Serial No. 879,664.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, l/VILLIAM H. HUB- BARD, J12, a citizen of the United States, residing in Newark, Essex county, State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Cooling Ores, of which the following (a division of my application, Serial No. 73%,315, filed November 30, 1912,) is a specification.

The present invention relates to cooling ores, or the like, from metallurgical or other furnaces, such, for example, as the prodnot of a pie-roasting furnace of the Godfrey or analogous type, which is to be further treated on Dwight and Lloyd machines or the like.

The object'of the invention is to elfect the cooling of the ore at the intermediate stage quickly and cheaply, at the same time avoiding the annoyance of dust and smoke and bringing the ore into good physical condition for handling easily and further roastin accordance with the invention, the hot ore is distributed in a comparatively thin layer on a fiat table, or a series of tables, and is rabbled during its movement between the places of charge and discharge to continually expose fresh surfaces of ore to a cooling medium or mediums. The cooling tables for supporting the ore in this way may have a variety of forms; they may be circular, linear or otherwise shaped, and may be arranged in tiers to form superposed tables, if desired. So, also, the rabbles for rabbling the ore may take various forms, and may have various arrangements rela tively to the cooling tables.

In the embodiment to which this divisional application is directed, a stationary table is employed in conjunction with rotating baiiies, and this may be used either alone or associated with a rotating table having stationary bailies, and in either case it is preferable that the movable elements shall move in such manner as to produce a movement of the ore onthe table in a path different from the line of movement of the table or the rabbles, and also extended in length so far as practicable.

1n the preferred embodiment of the apparatus herein claimed, the table is substantially circular while the path of the ore on the table is along a substantially spiral line, this being effected by rotating the rabbles over the stationary table or, if desired, also passing the ore to a rotating table prov ded with stationary rabbles, so that in either case the ore is periodically forced against rabbles which rabble it and simultaneously shift it on the table progressively toward the discharge outlet. In this way the ore is automatically discharged after being repeatedly rabbled to expose fresh surfaces to the cooling medium or mediums along the extended path across the table and yet within a compact space of operation.

The cooling medium may be a current of gas, such as air, moved over and in contact with the ore on the table or through it, and of such volume and temperature as to produce the necessary reduction in the temperature of the ore under the conditions prevailing. As an alternative method of cooling, heat from the ore may be transferred to a cooling medium, such as water, circulated in contact with the under side of the table by conduction through the table, or liquid be sprinkled on the ore to abstract the heat of vaporization of the liquid from the ore. Furthermore, all, or any two of these cooling means, may be used together to effect the desired reduction in temperature of the ore during its passage from the place of charge to the place of discharge. In the accompanying drawings, illustratlng two modifications of apparatus constructed in accordance with the present invention, Figure 1 represents an elevation, partly in section and partly broken away, of the arrangement wherein the table is stationary while the rabbles are rotatable; Fig. '2 is a diagram of the movement of the ore on the table in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is an elevation, partly in section. and partly broken away, of an apparatus having two superimposed tables with means for sprinkling the ore with a cooling liquid while on one of the tables, and with means for circulating a cooling fluid through the interior of the lower table; Fig. 4tis a top plan view of the lower table of Fig. 3, illustrating diagrammatically the movement of the ore on that table.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings, the columns 1 resting on a suitable foundation 2 support the hood 3 over the stationary circular table 4. A vertical shaft 5 mounted in Suitable bearings 6 is driven by the gearing 7 and carries the arm 8 provided with the rabbles 9. The rabbles 9 are arranged along substantially a diametrical line across the circular table, and are each set at such an angle to this line that when the driving shaft 5 is rotated the ore on the table is carried along a substantially spiral path, indicated by the broken lines in Fig. 2. The hood 3 is provided with a stack 10 to conduct the dust and gases away from the apparatus. The charging ore conduit 11 may extend directly from a preheating furnace or from any other suitable place and charge the hot ore onto the table at a place near the outer periphery thereof. The discharge ore conduit 12 is fastened to the under side of the table around its discharge opening 13 and leads to any desired place, as a storage bin or conveyer.

When the shaft is rotated at the proper speed by the gearing 7 and the ore is being charged at the proper rate of feed on to the outer periphery of the stationary table 4 from the conduit 11 in Figs. 1 and 2, the rabbles 9 push the ore in a comparatively thin layer around. the table and inwardly thereon in a spiral path and finally into the central opening 13, from whence it passes through the discharge conduit 12 into a place arranged to use, store or convey the ore. In this period during which the ore is moved from the charging conduit to the discharging conduit, the air is drawn from the outside around the edge of table 4 and over and in contact with the ore and into the stack 10, either by a natural draft brought about by the hot gases and heated air, or by a suitable fan. In either case, the air moves freely without substantial confinement by the apparatus at any point, while the volume of the cooling air is regulated in any suitable way to bring about the desired reduction of temperature of the ore in its movement on the table. The ore is caused to move along a substantially spiral path considerably longer than the distance between the conduits, so that an extended cooling operation is secured in a comparatively compact apparatus. Furthermore, the ore is repeatedly rabbled so that by continually exposing fresh surfaces thereof to contact with the cooling air, the ore is progressively and efficiently cooled throughout its mass.

The apparatus of Figs. 3 and 4 comprises a stationary upper table 4, as in Fig. 1, and a rotatable lower table 41, the upper set of rabbles 9 being rotatable and the lower set 9 being stationary. The circular table 41 is fastened to the driving shaft 5 and is rotatable therewith, while the rabbles 9 are stationary. The ore is charged on to the outer periphery of the upper table, is discharged from a point near the center thereof to a point near the center of the lower table, and is discharged from the outer periphery by the outermost rabble 9 into a conduit 1-2 located at the proper place to catch the ore alling from the table so that the ore is moved through a substantially spiral path on each of the tables. Currents of cooling air may be induced over or through the ore on each of the tables, and in addition to the cooling eifect of the current of air, water is sprinkled on the ore preferably at the places indicated. diagrammatically in Fig- 4, just behind the rabbles in the direction of rota,- tion of the table, where the ore has just been overturned. The sprinkling apparatus comprises a stationary pipe 20 closed at its ends and provided with a series of holes through which the water passes out into the freshly exposed ore. This pipe 20 is bent around the driving shaft 5 and is connected to a supply pipe 21 which communicates with a source of water supply. On the lower table the ore is moved around and outwardly in an extended path of substantially the form .1 V

sufficient to effect the desired reduction oftemperature when combined with the add -f tional cooling effect of the air current induced over the ore. In this way the heat of vaporization of the water is taken from the freshly exposed ore while the direction of the current of air is against the movement of the ore, so that the coolest air meets the coolest ore at the periphery of the table.

In additionto the current of cooling air induced over the ore and the stationary water sprinkling system, heat is also abstracted from the ore by water circulated in the hollow interior 30 of the table'and provision is made for drawing air through the ore bed. The circulating cooling water is supplied from a pipe 31 communicating with a suitable source and with the hollow interior 32 of the driving shaft. Conduits 33 fixed in the hollow interior of the table communicate with the passage in the shaft and conduct the water near the outer periphery of the table from whence the water passes back to the discharge pipes 34, when it reaches the required level, and out through the stationary pan 35 and outlet 36. In this way heat is conducted from the ore through the table to this circulating cooling water. The table is also provided with a plurality of radially arranged narrow inclosed passages 37 passing entirely through the table without permitting the leakage of water from the hollow interior of the table for the purpose of passing air through the'ore on the table. The air currents, the sprinkling water and the circulating cooling water are regulated in amount so as to effect in combination the desired reduction of temperature of the ore during its movement from the place of charge to the lace of discharge.

aving thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. In apparatus for cooling hot ore, or the like, the combination with a flat circular cooling table for supporting the ore in a comparatively thin layer, means for charging the ore onto the table, near its outer edge, means for discharging the ore from the table near its center, a rotatable shaft pro vided with rabbles for rabbling the ore on the table and for efiecting movement of the ore from the place of charge to the place of discharge, means for rotating said shaft; and means for progressively cooling the ore on the table during its movement from the place of charge to the place of discharge; substantially as described.

2. In apparatus for cooling hot ore, or the like, the combination with a flat circular cooling table for supporting the ore in a comparatively thin layer, means for charging the ore on to the table at its outer edge, a rotating shaft passing through the center of said table, rabbles carried by said shaft and arranged for rabbling the ore on the table and for efiecting movement of the ore spirally around said shaft from the place of charge to the place of discharge, means for rotating said shaft and means for progressively cooling the ore on the table during its movement from the place of charge to the place of discharge; substantially as described.

3. In apparatus for cooling hot ore, or the like, the combination with a flat circular cooling table for supporting the ore in a comparatively thin layer, means for charging the ore on to the table near the outer edge thereof, a rotatable member projecting through said table near its center and provided with rabbles for rabbling the ore on the table and for effecting movement of the ore along said table in a spiral course to the place of discharge, means for cooling said ore during said movement, said table having an opening through the center into which the progressively cooled ore may be pushed by the innermost rabble, and means for circulating a cooling fluid over said ore during its progressive movement; substantially as described.

4. In apparatus for cooling hot ore, or the like, the combination with a flat circular cooling table for supporting the ore in a comparatively thin layer, means for charging the ore on to the table near the periphery thereof, a rotatable member provided with rabbles set at an angle for efiecting spiral movement of the ore from the place of charge toward the center of the table, means for rotating said member and means for drawing cooling air around the edge of said table for progressively cooling the ore on the table during its movement from the place of charge toward the center of the table, said table having an opening near its center into which the cooled ore is ultimately pushed; substantially as described.

5. In apparatus for cooling hot ore, or the like, the combination with a stationary cooling table for supporting the ore in a comparatively thin layer, said table having a discharge opening at its center; of means for charging the ore on to the table, a rotatable member projecting through said table and provided with rabbles for rabbling the ore on the table and for effecting movement of the ore along the table in a spiral path from the place of charge to a place of discharge, means for water cooling said member, means for rotating said member, and means for progressively cooling the ore on the table during its movement from the place of charge to the place of discharge; substantially as described.

In testimony whereof, I affix my signa* ture, in presence of two witnesses.

W. H. HUBBARD, JR.

Witnesses:

ALFRED W. URICK, A. J. GRAssMAN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

